Industry Viewfinder
“Who do you think the main onus should be on rental accommodation fire safety?” When it came to the importance of this category, fire doors were the most
popular among our respondents; 0% said they were not at all important, 0% not very, 2% neutral, 2% quite important, and 95% very important. Fire resilient insulation was seen as not at all important by 2% of our
respondents, with 0% reporting it as not important, 13% neutral, 18% quite important and 67% very important. Passive protection as a whole fell slightly behind this, with 5% not at
all important, 2% not very, 9% neutral, 30% quite important and 55% very important.
DATA Finally, once residents are safe – having been quickly notified, their escape routes being clear, and the fire then being quelled – there is still much housing professionals can learn from the event. Connected fire safety technologies have the potential to collect data on fires
seamlessly and effortlessly, and when utilised correctly can shoulder some of the responsibility of fire safety. The data that such technologies gather can then be analyzed for trends and
patterns, and AI can even offer predictive analysis based on these trends, with the results getting more accurate as more data is received. Remote fire safety products were not seen as important as those above. 9%
believe them to be not at all important, 13% not important, 31% neutral, 24% quite important, and 22% very important. One issue that they were considered useful in addressing however was a lack
of reporting of fire safety issues, with 74% agreeing that automated products can help here.
CONCLUSION Despite tragedy after tragedy, deadly fires have continued to occur in UK housing. While stricter standards are incoming, there are still fundamental issues that the housing sector needs to address around reporting and the speed of
Despite tragedy after tragedy, deadly fires have continued to occur in UK housing. While stricter standards are incoming, there are still fundamental issues that the housing sector needs to address.
remedial works. One solution that our respondents argued can significantly reduce fire risk,
however, are ‘better’ fire safety products. Fire safety products themselves have a long pedigree, and have undergone
huge changes, refinements and legislation since their inception, but it is clear that even today all products are not made equally. Throughout their history, such products have succeeded and failed alike, and
their quality and suitability are key. Where such products are ‘better’ – defined by our respondents with terms such as ‘reliability’ or ‘durability’ – they are able to save lives, prevent fires from getting out of hand, warn tenants when they do, guide their exit, and provide them with essential time. With flammable products being one of the most common reasons fire risks
remained present in housing among our respondents, and the cost of replacing such products being the most common listed, it is clear the issue of product quality is inherently tied to risk, but housing professionals are struggling to afford vital works. Whatever the costs, however, the right tools to save lives are available and
essential; it’s up to housing professionals to ensure the correct ones are specified, installed and maintained, and history has shown time and again the severe consequences of failure.
FOR A FULL VERSION OF THIS SURVEY PLEASE VISIT
WWW.HOUSINGMMONLINE.CO.UK WHERE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE WHITE PAPER
28 | HMMOctober/November 2021 |
www.housingmmonline.co.uk
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